IES Mourns the Loss of Former Executive Director William Hanley

The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) has announced that former Executive Vice President, William (Bill) Hanley, died on June 4, 2018. He was 75. Hanley led the organization for 26 years and retired in 2014. During his tenure (he was the longest serving executive vice president in the history of the organization), he led the IES to financial stability and “…into an era of unprecedented growth … as the international leader in lighting education, standards, publications and professional development.”

Among Hanley’s most notable achievements was his involvement in the launch of Lightfair, the IES’s management of the Street and Area Lighting Conference, and the publication of three editions (8^th, 9^th, and 10^th) of the Society’s The Lighting Handbook.

In the IES press statement, several members of the IES executive team–past and present–shared these reminiscences of their colleague and friend.

Cheryl English, current President of the IES:
“Bill has been a true leader for the IES and lighting industry. He transformed our organization into the solid and respected technical society that it is today. I will always think of Bill as a true gentleman with a keen sense of humor just waiting for someone to give him an opportunity to release it. Bill’s compassion for his associates and the IES members has been remarkable. It’s been an extreme honor to have worked with Bill for the 26 years he was with IES, and a greater honor to call him a friend. It is my greatest hope that we utilize lighting research to improve the well-being for those who suffer from Alzheimer’s as a tribute to this great man. #ENDALZ”

Tim Licitra, Executive Director of the IES:
“IES is lucky to have had Bill Hanley as its executive vice president. Bill provided stability at a time of need and set our Society on a path of growth. We are fortunate to be in the position that we are in today because of his hard work, dedication, and care. In my short tenure here at IES I never had the privilege of getting to spend time with him, but one trait that nearly every person spoke fondly about was his sense of humor. Bill will be missed and we are forever thankful for what he brought to IES and the entire lighting community.”

Kimberly Mercier, IES Past President:
“Bill collected the skills and abilities that allowed our organization to truly stand and be recognized. His abilities to manage our staff, balance our budget, and navigate the delicate interface between the organization and our volunteers have been apparent and the IES will be forever grateful for his contribution to our successes. Personally, I have been blessed to have known Bill.”

Pamela Horner, IES Past President:
“Just prior to my becoming IES President on July 1, 2001, Bill and I had a chat about our various responsibilities. He led with ‘I work for you,’ and that was always his philosophy. He steadfastly respected the elected leadership of the Society, working alongside the members to ensure that the IES became and remained a strong and viable institution. Being a modest man, Bill never took credit for what many of us believe were his major accomplishments. I cannot imagine where our Society would be had we not hired Bill over two decades ago.”

Rita Harrold, former Director of Technology for the IES:
“Twenty six years ago as an IES member working in industry, I served on a Board appointed search committee to find an IES Executive Vice President. Little did I know then that I had also found the person who would become my boss when I joined the IES staff in 1992 and, more importantly, a lifetime friend.”

Hanley is survived by his wife, Irene, and two children, Matthew and Elizabeth.